Amorphophallus Konjac (corpse flower) in full glory out by our sidewalk. These are completely hardy and have a very beautiful leaf that will follow the flowers, but the flowers are pretty impressive as well. Ziggy stopped by to give them a sniff and provide a bit of size reference. One has already started to die back, the two big ones together are in their full stink mode and the little one on the side is almost completely open as well and should add to the odor in the next day or so. Neighbors are mildly amused although I’ve seen at least one cross the street when walking by.
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So that’s the full open flower?
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Yes, although the two big ones are so close together they may not be opening as wide as usual. It is the same family as the giant corpse flower, Amorphophallus Titanum, that botanical gardens often have growing in their greenhouses and people flock to to see them bloom. This one is hardy to zone 6 and the corms can be processed and eaten, although it requires processing and cooking. Here is one of the corms that I haven’t gotten around to planting this year after growing it in a pot last year. It just has a vegetative bud so this one won’t flower this year.
Here is another thread where ampersand brought up using these as an edible Unusual perennial edible: Amorphophallus konjac
If they only bloomed about a month earlier they would probably be a great pollinator attractor to grow under pawpaws.
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It was probably the titanum that I remember,in an article,showing one at something like,the New York Botanical Garden,with people lining up,because the blooms could be years apart.
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I bet it was. There are many different types from different locations throughout Asia. Konjac is from Japan and is easily hardy in my zone and a bit lower. Titanum is from Sumatra, so tropical and actually pretty hard to keep without a nice heated greenhouse. I tried and eventually lost a couple of young ones to rot because they couldn’t handle the conditions in my house. I think many botanical gardens now have a bunch of Titanum growing so they can have blooms available more often since they are such a draw.
I have an Amorphophallus bulbifer that is about a week from blooming and will post that when it opens. It is very different and not nearly as “goth” as konjac.
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Pinkerton avocado flowers. It’s bought and planted in ground last spring.
Flowers from my 10+ year old pineapple guava tree.
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Fuyu persimmons coming along in Vegas:
Unlike Saijo, this tree always gets wrecked by the heat around midsummer and has so far never managed to produce more than a few fruit, but it looks a little more enthusiastic this year.
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Found two Candy Heart pluerries growing. Tons of flowers on the stone fruit this year, with some overlapping blooms, with bees seen all over them, so I’m guessing the frost got most of them.
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My first ever home grown cherry… from a graft of Montmorency that I added last spring.
So pretty.
I bagged it and let it hang a couple more days and we ate it last evening.
We… yes… my wife and I and our son split up that one cherry and each got a taste.
It was quite tart… as expected… but also a little sweet… nice flavor.
Wish we had 1000 more but this one is the only one to develop and ripen this year.
A real treat.
I have a Montmorency planted at my new home site now. Hopefully get many more of these in a few years.
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Somehow i got a few dozen to hang on. They are cute little pieces of heart shaped fruit. My tree is 4th leaf but growing fairly slow in clay soil.
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i’VE GOT SUNDAY ON MY MIND… OR IS IT THINNING ON MY MIND
I have 15 pear trees and after the last two year’s TOTAL bust… Below are just 2 clusters from just 2 of them. Each tree is LOADED and I will be having a thinning marathon over the Memorial Day Weekend.
40+ APPLES are still a couple of weeks behind
Thin and spray coming up.
Mike
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Wow! Is this the normal time for them to ripen in your climate? My neighbor’s two large Montmorency trees just finished flowering like two weeks ago at most and the fruit have barely begun to form at all. I think they are usually tart-ripe in late July and sweeter/softer in August.
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@swincher … I assume this will be normal ripening time for me. Again… this is the first time, first cherry of any kind that I have grown and ripened.
It was from a graft done last spring… monty onto my 2018 planted Lapins… which has not produced a ripe fruit yet.
I did not even know that was early…
OGW says loganberry ripens in July … probably close to your area. ?
They start ripening in May here.
South eastern heat I guess ?
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Nice harvest today…
HR and JJ raspberries
Obsidian blackberries
Sure crop strawberries
Carmine goumi
In the background… climax rabbiteyes loaded and sizing up.
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Ten years ago or so my wife & I took a walk & I could smell this from half a block away. Noticing a few root suckers, I asked the owner if I may dig one out.
She gave permission & I dug a 10-11" tall stem. Each year I deadhead after bloom to allow the bush to gain strength & set next year’s bloom buds. Very little care beyond soaking the roots a couple times in drought.
We appreciate this all the more after finding the original owner sold that house & the new owner tore out the lilac. Not a trace left the following year.
The scent is wonderful.
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